Bryant scored 36 points, albeit on 11-of-26 shooting. Pau Gasol posted only seven points on 3-of-8 shooting in his second game since nursing a foot injury that sidelined him for 20 games.

"I need to get my conditioning better, my rhythm better and legs into it a little bit more," Gasol said. "The foot still has a little soreness, but it's not increasing."

The Lakers saw their injury list grow.

Lakers forward Metta World Peace suffered a strained left knee and didn't play in the second half. D'Antoni said World Peace "felt fluid in the back of his knee," although he maintained he wasn't sure how the injury happened.

World Peace plans to see Lakers trainer Gary Vitti to assess his availability for Wednesday's game in Minnesota.

"I couldn't really walk," World Peace said while applying lotion on his knee. "I tried to shoot, but I couldn't run."

Dwight Howard received three stitches to his lower lip from Lee's elbow in the second quarter. That prompted Howard to foul him and draw a technical.

"He got away with a shot," Howard said. "I'll remember this game."

He may not want to do that. Howard finished with a quiet 11 points on eight field-goal attempts, including two in the second half.

"If you want to win games," Howard said, "you have to play the right way."

Meanwhile, Antawn Jamison scored five points and went only 1 of 5 from the field in his first game since nursing a sprained right wrist he described as "stiff."

It was ugly all around.

When Warriors center Andrew Bogut scored off an inbound pass with 0.5 seconds left in the first half, Bryant walked off the court. At that point, the Lakers trailed 63-40.

Bryant said he did so because he "was irritated with myself" on numerous missed defensive rotations.

Regardless, the play proved so bad it nullified the Lakers slashing the Warriors' double-digit lead in the second half. Instead, the Lakers walked off the court with less certainty about their playoff fortunes.